Spendy Dodge Charger Daytona EV Debuts This Weekend at Roadkill Nights

We’ve seen the renderings, explored the concept, and experienced its somewhat controversial synthetic exhaust note, but it’s almost time to meet the Dodge Charger Daytona—or at least the all-electric version—in the flesh. The next generation of Dodge’s muscle car king will bow this weekend at Roadkill Nights at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac, Michigan. (Poncho faithful, you’re allowed one giggle at that one. Just one.)

Dodge also released pricing information to accompany the Charger Daytona’s debut. Brace yourself, however; it’s not exactly cheap.

The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T two-door will start at $61,950, including a $1995 destination fee. For that coin, you’ll get a vehicle that comes standard with the factory-installed Direct Connection Stage 1 upgrade, which will bestow your electric muscle car with 496 hp and 404 lb-ft of torque.

If that sort of shove doesn’t satiate you, Dodge is also readying a Charger Daytona Scat Pack two-door that will include two upgrades—the Track Package and a Direct Connection Stage 2 kit—that will push output to 670 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. Dodge says that added grunt will enable a 0–60 mph dash of just 3.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time estimate of 11.5 seconds. Starting cost: $75,185, including the same $1995 destination fee. Gulp.

Despite their all-electric powertrains, Matt McAlear, Dodge brand’s chief executive officer, insisted that each of the new models “looks, drives, sounds, and feels like a Dodge, outperforming the legendary models they replace and delivering the experience the Dodge Brotherhood of Muscle expects.”

Let’s recap the mechanicals that are supposed to make good on the above promise: The 2024 Charger Daytona EV will use a 400-volt, dual-motor drivetrain that features standard all-wheel-drive capability and a mechanical limited-slip differential to help this brute hook up at the starting line. There’s a PowerShot system that can be activated via a steering wheel button that unlocks an additional 40 horsepower for 15 seconds. Two popular driveline settings, launch control and line lock—the latter of which disengages power to the front wheels and using the front axle’s brakes to hold the car still while the driver lights up the rears—will be offered on both the R/T and the Scat Pack models.

If you opt for the pricier Scat Pack version, you’ll also get access to additional driveline settings. Donut mode will tell the drivetrain to power only the rear wheels, enabling sweet—though likely software-managed—donuts. Drift mode is even trickier, adjusting the front/rear torque split to a rear-biased setting while setting the front dampers to full soft and the rears to full stiff to induce oversteer. Drift mode also tells the traction control system to allow for the significant difference in front and rear wheel speeds that happen during a drift.

Of course, both models will also feature Dodge’s patent-pending Fratzonic chambered exhaust, which has been specifically engineered to mimic the sound of a Hemi V-8. Our first taste of the system came a few days ago—have a listen for yourself in the link and see what you think.

On the topic of gas-burning engines, we also know that although the EV versions of the Charger Daytona will lead the way, other variants are coming that will feature the standard- and high-output versions of Stellantis’ Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six. Dodge says that production of the straight-six-powered versions is scheduled to begin in the second half of next year.

Meanwhile, the EV variants we’ll meet this weekend are slated to begin production very soon—Dodge says “summer of 2024.” Given that it’s already August and there have been some reports of delays, however, we’re not sure exactly when to expect them at dealers.

Like you, we’re bummed that this next generation of Chargers won’t feature a Hemi V-8. But we’ll give Dodge credit for evolving a legendary nameplate in two wildly different directions to meet the current market’s split interests.